The Lancaster Firefighters’ Association has asked for assistance from MC/VFA, its members, and friends. This Monday, March 22nd at 7:00 PM, the Town of Lancaster is holding a Special Town Meeting to offer Claire McNamara and her three very young children, a single $70,000 lump sum payment and 50 % of the family’s health insurance premiums. This is in addition to the one time federal and state death benefits and the town’s $30,000 life insurance policy which they are eligible to receive. The Town is not legally required to do these things, and we firefighters are thankful for the Town’s efforts, but they are not enough. At this meeting, members of the Lancaster Firefighters’ Association will move to amend the town meeting article to provide Claire and her children with an annual pension equal to 2/3rds of the annual salary of a first-year career firefighter in the local area. This is what a call member of a combo department would be eligible for.

I urge any available member/friend to come to this town meeting to lend support to Marty’s family and our brothers and sisters in Lancaster. Our members will be distributing educational flyers to the Lancaster voters before the meeting and our presence will be a show of our support and our way of asking the townspeople in Lancaster to do the right thing.

Please think about the McNamaras and what if you died in the line of duty. Would your family be able to survive on what this town is offering? Don’t let Lancaster’s offer set the precedent for what will be offered in future call/volunteer line-of-duty deaths by your inaction. Please come to Lancaster on Monday night.

Over 1,000 firefighters from all over the northeast showed up on a cold weekday in December to lay Marty to rest. Now it’s time to come together again and support Marty’s family and the Lancaster firefighters. We need to do what we can to make sure Marty’s family is provided for.

Please wear clothing identifying you as a firefighter (preferably with the name of your Dept.) such as a department sweatshirt or jacket and a hat or a fire helmet. Members should try to arrive by 5:45 PM and stage at the Lancaster Central Fire Station on Main Street (Route 70). This is close to the Intersection of Route 117 and is across the street from the school where the meeting will be held.

Thank you. Pass this on to other members in your department.

Directions to the staging area:

From the West: I-190 to Exit 7. Take Rte. 117 East into Lancaster. Turn right onto Rte. 70 South. Central Station is ¼ Mile on the left.

From the East: I-495 to Exit 27. Take Rte. 117 West through Bolton into Lancaster. Turn left onto Rte. 70 South. Central Station is ¼ Mile on the left.